The Canada Council for the Arts is currently accepting funding applications from Indigenous artists and organizations in two separate funding streams.

Short-Term Projects

The Short-Term Projects component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing funds First Nations, Inuit and Métis professional and aspiring artists, cultural carriers, arts/cultural professionals, groups, collectives and arts/culture organizations. Grants provide support for any combination of eligible Creating, Knowing and Sharing activities for projects lasting up to 12 months.

Activities must be led by eligible First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists, cultural carriers or arts/cultural professionals. Activities may include participation of or collaboration with non-Indigenous artists.

You can apply for any combination of eligible Creating, Knowing and Sharing activities lasting up to 12 months, including but not limited to:

  • Creating– research; creation; production; critical discourse (including research or writing); residencies; collaborations
  • Knowing– mentorships; artistic training; community-based initiatives to engage young people through artistic practices; language preservation through artistic practices; intergenerational transmission of artistic knowledge; preservation of traditional knowledge through artistic practice; development of administrative, artistic, cultural or organizational capacity; research; collaborations
  • Sharing– local, regional, national or international exhibitions; implementation of dissemination strategy and organizational objectives; publishing activities; gathering events involving artistic practices; collaborations; marketing and publicity; presentations, festivals and showcase events; networking events involving artistic practices; outreach activities

If your application is for touring existing work, you must apply to the Arts Across Canada: Circulation and Touring or Arts Abroad: Circulation and Touring components.

You can’t apply for activities that occur before the deadline date, those that receive funding from another Canada Council program component or those on the general list of ineligible activities.

The deadline for the current round of applications is March 16, 2022.

Small-Scale Activities

The Small-Scale Activities component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing funds First Nations, Inuit and Métis professional and aspiring artists, cultural carriers, arts/cultural professionals, groups, collectives and arts/culture organizations. Grants provide support for any combination of eligible Creating, Knowing and Sharing activities for small-scale activities.

Activities must be led by eligible First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists, cultural carriers or arts/cultural professionals. 

Type of Activities

Individuals can apply to:

  • purchase/acquire specialized materials for artistic production
  • pay honoraria to other professional artists or cultural carriers for specific expertise, advice, or training
  • engage in career or artistic development activities

Considering submitting an application? Speak with a Canada Council Program Officer if you have any questions or require clarification.